A fire in the workplace is one of the most terrible things you can imagine. Unfortunately, however, accidents like these happen all the time.
On a positive note, there are things you can do to prevent workplace fires from occurring in your office, warehouse, or other commercial space. Ultimately, it’s a matter of being proactive.
You need to conduct regular inspections and remediate any potential hazards. Not sure where to begin?
No problem. Keep reading for five safety tips to help you and your employees stay safe at work and avoid accidental fires.
1. Have Your Building Inspected By a Fire Safety Officer
First, you need to have a professional inspect your building to ensure you’re not in violation of any fire safety codes. When you start a business in a new commercial space, this is usually a state requirement. A fire safety officer will come by to evaluate the property.
They’ll recommend (or require) any necessary changes. This could be push-bar emergency doors, a lower building capacity, fire extinguisher placement, and a number of other safety tips.
2. Make Sure Your Fire Safety Equipment is Up to Code
Next, to maximize employee safety, you need to verify the condition of your fire safety equipment. Fire extinguishers need to be checked regularly and replaced when they expire.
Just as importantly, you need to make sure all of your fire alarms, smoke detectors, and sprinklers are up to code. Having a faulty system that doesn’t work properly during a fire could cost you everything. It might even void your insurance policy.
3. Ensure Your Employees Know What to Do in Case of Emergency
Workplace safety isn’t necessarily something that all of your employees inherently know. We recommend conducting training seminars several times a year to cover things like:
- Fires
- Bomb threats
- Earthquakes
- Emergency medical situations
- Active shooters
- Intruders in the building
- And general safety tips
For example, having multiple fire extinguishers around is pointless if your employees don’t know how to use them. Click for fire extinguisher training, which will benefit everyone in the workplace. Safety courses like these can literally save lives.
4. Don’t Block Any Exits
One of the most important fire safety tips is to ensure all fire exits are clear and open at all times. When emergencies occur, people tend to panic. If they go to escape out of a locked door, this can lead to disastrous consequences.
The people in front could be pinned against a door that won’t open and could even sustain serious injuries. Additionally, tripping hazards near the fire exit could cause someone to fall, which could result in them being trampled by others trying to escape. You may get help from Sinisi Solutions.
5. Maintain the Proper Building Capacity
Finally, adhering to the city-mandated maximum building capacity is essential for staying safe at work. This, of course, is especially true in the event of a fire.
The more people you have in your building, the more fire exits are required. While it may not seem like a big deal to exceed this limit on holidays and other special events, it could lead to a tragedy.
Looking for More Safety Tips for Work and Home?
Employee safety is one of your most important responsibilities as a business owner or manager. Don’t take workplace safety for granted, especially where fires are concerned.
If you want more guidance, look through some of our other blog articles to find more safety tips for your home or workplace. Our website was created to provide a plethora of information for people like you.
